It’s all about sequels and prequels
While you were watching Dunki and Salaar on the big screen, I was scouring the Net to see what was in store for us in this new year. The range is mind boggling. If Hollywood is banking on sequels of Despicable Me 4 (get ready to spend money for your kids as well as the child inside you on some superb merchandise!) and Kung Fu Panda 4 (that Panda is so adorable!), then Bollywood is going to offer you sequels of movies you have loved no matter who was wearing that police officer’s uniform.
You guessed it! We are going to watch the Rohit Shetty and Ajay Devgn magic onscreen again with Singham Again. Not to be left behind, there are sequels in the Yash Raj Spy Universe titled Tiger VS Pathan. Indian audiences fill theatres to watch men in uniform beat, shoot and kill ‘enemies’ and this year you will see your favourite Hrithik Roshan and the woman who inspires a thousand sighs – Deepika Padukone – wear uniform in Fighter. Yodha will have Sidharth Malhotra strut his stuff in uniform too. I’m not about to quibble about how every mara-mari film has a formula everyone can see a ile away.
Why should I complain about yet another Spiderman universe film that is going to show up on the big screen? I would love to see a spinoff called Madame Webb the day it is released! Plus, Joaquin Phoenix plays his iconic Joker again in ‘Joker: Folie a Deux’.
Because I want you – the smart investor – to understand why Hollywood as well as Bollywood continues to make sequels. The answer is simple: When something works, why not have more of it?
The sequels stick to the formula the original film had and tell a new story. Take Planet of the Apes as an example. It shocked most of us to see how we would need to adapt to a world where man wasn’t the dominant species. This year the sequel: Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes promises even more revelations. As does the sequel of the Academy Award winning Inside Out 2. If your portfolio consists of a winning combination of stocks that are performing well, why would you change the mix that’s making your bank account sing?
Also Read: 14 songs to soundtrack your financial journey in the New Year 2024
Standalone films that are ‘zara hatke’!
Let’s say you want more from your portfolio than sequels. I baulk too when I see this list: Stree 2, Drishyam 3, Aashiqui 3, Housefull 5, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, De De Pyar De 2, Metro In Dino, Baaghi 4, Krrish 4, Pushpa 2, KGF 3, Hera Pheri 3, Son of Sardar 2, Don 3 and more.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against sequels, but I’m happy to watch Bhediya 2, Raid 2 and even try Sitare Zameen Par and Love, Sex Aur Dhoka 2. But what inspires me are films that are different. Like the saga of The Ballerina (which is a spin off to John Wick) and a Lord of the Rings story called: The War For Rohirrim.
But I love the possibility of learning more about the infamous Chicago Bike Riders Club called The Bikeriders. It sounds like an awesome film to watch John Krasinski direct Ryan Reynolds and himself in a film about forgotten Imaginary Friends called IF.
Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt arrive to take your collective breaths away in The Fall Guy, a film about a stuntman who moonlights as a bounty hunter. Then there’s a tribute to one of my all time favourite musicians: Back To Black a story on the life of Amy Winehouse. The last and not the least, Bong Joon Ho’s sci-fi film starring Robert Pattinson called Mickey 17 where RobPat plays a disposable body – that is able to keep memory of his earlier versions intact – sent off to explore dangerous new worlds!
Among the Hindi films, you would love to know more about the coach who put India in the world of football: a film starring Ajay Devgn called Maidan. John Abraham’s Tehran and The Diplomat take you to Iran and the world of political intrigue. Chhava: a biopic of Chhatrapati Shivaji’s son Sambhajirao will be interesting (it stars Vicky Kaushal and Rashmika Mandana). Last but not the least, I am looking forward to Deva starring Shahid Kapoor. Even though the film is a thriller about a police officer who uncovers deceit, Shahid Kapoor has upped his game with Farzi that released on Amazon Prime this year, so my tuppence on the actor offering us something different here as well. I haven’t forgotten Merry Christmas by Sriram Raghavan. It brings Vijay Sethupathi and Katrina Kaif with the always incredible Radhika Apte in a film about a Christmas romance gone wrong.
As a savvy investor, you should be on the lookout for interesting financial instruments that will help you make most of your money. Even a simple thing like completing a risk assessment form to help you figure out what kind of an investor you are is something you could try. Most of us rely completely on a relative who ‘understands money’ or the good, solid money manager. But this year, you could step out of your comfort zone and upskill your investment ideas and put them to work for you!
Also Read: Beyond Bells & Baubles: 4 valuable money lessons hidden in your favourite Christmas movies
Watch unusual content on platforms you haven’t tried yet!
Expand your geography! There are some fabulous shows in languages that you don’t understand. Say ‘Jai Subtitles’ and plunge into Nordic Noir and Korean shows and yes, films and series made in our own backyard! Films in Tamil. Malayalam, Telugu, Bengali and Kannada have different nuances to storytelling. Every time you think you know films from the ‘South’ along comes a film like 777 Charlie or Kantara and change your point of view. And yes, it may be a Hindi film like Kahaani to show you characters like Bob Biswas exist.
And just like that, this year too you will discover shows like Criminal Record on AppleTV+ and over 300 shows and movies in Malayalam! Not to mention short films that showcase storytelling that is incredible too.
This reminds you to try something new financially this year. An instrument you never thought you needed, or venturing into a stock vertical you never thought you would direct your money towards! Let’s face it, anything different to keep you on your toes and ever interested.
This new year, keep the performing stocks in your stable, but do look at a race horse or two and come out a winner!
Manisha Lakhe is a poet, film critic, traveller, founder of Caferati — an online writer’s forum, hosts Mumbai’s oldest open mic, and teaches advertising, films and communication. She can be reached on Twitter at @manishalakhe.
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Published: 06 Jan 2024, 11:11 AM IST